Ashley’s 1800s carriage house in the West Village is as steeped in history as it is style; photographer Diane Arbus and her two daughters were once residents. Now, Ashley—the Executive Vice President of Sales & Brand Partnerships at Refinery29—and her husband Sam (college sweethearts from Ole Miss!) share the space with their two daughters, Mylah (six years old) and Holland (18 months old). “We discovered our beloved carriage house four years ago while strolling through the village… [w]e were first drawn to the carriage house for its charming personality and privacy away from everyday city life.”

“We loved the light-filled space, high ceilings, and white canvas to fill with fun art, conversation pieces and my vintage collections (yes, I collect antique telephones, toasters and Limoges galore!). We also fell in love with the beautiful and quaint outdoor space as we love to host parties and enjoy time outside with our kids.”

Ashley’s home can’t be boxed into any particular “type.” It’s bold, humorous, feminine, sentimental, and above all, it’s fashion-forward. Originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ashley also cites her “Southern roots”as having “deeply influenced my home aesthetic.” The family’s creativity also plays a factor in how the home looks. They’ve filled the space with art Ashley has created, as well as the kids’ whimsical art and family photos. What results is a cheerful space for the adults and kids to play and relax.

Our Style: Deco meets new with a fun twist, pops of color, and conversation pieces galore. I have a deep appreciation for objects and art that tell stories about past, present, and future.

Inspiration: I find inspiration everywhere. From my daily work life as an Executive Vice President at Refinery29 to my travels abroad (Paris flea markets, I love you!), to people I see on the street, to favorite hotels like The Crosby Hotel in New York and The Soho Hotel in London to some of my favorite restaurants like Café Cluny, Buvette and Soho House, to local boutiques in my neighborhood like Madame Matovu and Sunni Spencer, to creative visionaries at Refinery29, Piera Geraldi, our Co-Founder & Creative Director and Christene Barberich, our Co-Founder and Global Editor and Chief. I live my life with eyes wide open, taking it all in and applying what inspires me every day to my home environment and personal style.

From dear friend, Ashley Longshore, New Orleans pop artist, who recently opened her new eatery in Bergdorfs, called Palette, to my fabulous and mega stylish (and fierce!) grandmother Madelyn Gengo, who could take over a whole floor at Barney’s with her very own jewelry and fine china collections, to my mother, Pam Gengo and god mother Julie Ponze of New Orleans who’ve inspired me with their love of collections, antiques and art.

My mother-in-law, Kay Blount, of Birmingham, Alabama, has taught me that you dress a home specific to the personality, history and location of that home and never waiver. And, my fabulous sister-in-law, Elizabeth Miles, interior decorator at Hundley Hilton, is one of my favorite people to go antique hunting with and knows how to mix old with new better than anyone. Soon after giving birth to Holland, Elizabeth and I were hunting antiques, art and jewelry at Scott’s Antiques in Atlanta until 10 p.m. in the evenings and our husbands thought we were crazy!

Favorite Element: My kids’ art. I have two bookshelves dedicated to my daughter’s pottery, jewelry, and artwork. We often spend our free time creating things as a family, from paintings to jewelry to slime!

Biggest Challenge: Letting go of pieces when you run out of space! My husband always says that we spend more in storage units than anyone in the city!

But the reality is that when you have an appreciation for beautiful pieces, (especially cool, one-of-a-kind pieces that tell stories), it can be tough to stop yourself from making the purchase and especially purging the old stuff!

What Friends Say: Friends typically come over and feel right at home. They often say how cozy the carriage house is and they feel like they’re in the Cotswolds but in New York.

They often ask where I find my pieces like my vintage Hermes advertisements that I found in Paris and framed in Lucite with fun, colorful borders.

Proudest DIY: My proudest DIY would have to be my own art where I curate antique collections like vintage telephones and cameras and pair them with fun fabrics and Lucite.

I also love making bracelets with my daughter Mylah who shares her pieces with the kids in the village. We pair vintage beads with neon modern beads with word phrases like: Kind, Out&About, BFF, Sister, US, and we call them “happy bracelets.”

Biggest Indulgence: My biggest indulgence is my camel leather chairs from Mecox Gardens in South Hampton. I had to have them… they remind me of my equestrian days!

Best Advice: The best home advice I ever received was from friends Courtney and Robert Novogratz, from The Novogratz, who remind me that there are no rules and quirky collections are cool.

Dream Sources: Paris Flea Markets, ABC Home, CB2, Mecox Gardens, Estate Sales, Jonathan Adler, Madame Matovu, local boutiques, travel adventures…

LIVING ROOM
Art — Hermes Vintage Advertisements, Hot pink vintage Hermes scarves, “Get Toasted,” “Gratest Love,” “Zoom” (Cameras) – all my own art by I AM Ashley Miles
Large blue abstract painting — by Mallory Page of New Orleans
Sofa — ABC Home, Ralph Lauren (navy / brown leather trim)
Camel Leather chairs — Mecox Gardens South Hampton
Large Camel Leather Pillows — CB2
Needle Point Pillows — Jonathan Adler
White horse head lamps — Jonathan Adler
Gold China Cabinet — ABC Home

DINING ROOM
Brown Dining Room Table — Family heirloom
Tiger Painting – Family heirloom

KITCHEN
Art — Daughter Mylah’s art mixed with vintage art finds

UPSTAIRS
LOVE art — Laura Birnbaum, Dallas, Texas, from Collins Interiors Dallas
Yellow deco chest —Housing Works NYC

MASTER BEDROOM
Art piece over bed — Madame Matovu Italian tapestry
Lamps — Family heirloom
Side tables —Lucite and acrylic, custom by Amy Sims
White chest — West Elm
Blue antique desk — Family heirloom
White deco desk chair — Housing Works West Village
Bedspread — Leontine Linens, New Orleans

MYLAH AND HOLLAND’S BEDROOM
Bed — Ballard Designs
Bedspread — Leontine Linens, New Orleans
Turquoise Pillow — Zihautanejo, Mexico
Artwork — Ashley Longshore (2), portrait of Mylah and Audrey Hephern
Lavender Art from my travels to Amalfi Coast, Italy (mix of local artists), Paris
“Holland Airline art” vintage advertisements — found in Paris flea market inspired by my work in advertising and my daughter Holland

BATHROOM
Bamboo bathroom set — West Elm
Abstract landscape Art — Will Erikson, New Orleans

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